In order to restore the correct position of first and second bone segments of a fractured bone it is often desirable to close or reduce a gap between the two bone segments. Similarly, in the case of an arthrodesis, where two separate bones have to be fused, a gap has to be closed. Commonly surgical compression forceps are used to displace the bone segments towards each other. After reducing the fractured bone a bone plate is fixed to the bone segments to hold the bone segments in place.
Because the bone plate is fixed to the bone segments in the very same region as the compression forceps are attached to the bone segments, it is often difficult to retain the reduced bone segments in position since the compression forceps and the bone implant interfere with each other.